out this weekend: DayGlo Mourning -- hippy caravan doom from Georgia, USA

The 1970s will always be alive as long as DayGlo Mourning is alive. Fans of the doom of 1967 to 1974 will find Southern comfort in the gigantic, slow riffs and the objective of keepings things simple and heavy, and just going for broke on it.

DayGlo Mourning

Dead Star

Black Doomba Records

12 February 2021

ABOUT: Sometimes a band just lands with such impact that their momentum carries them into instant recognition. DayGlo Mourning out of Atlanta are just that band - it wasn’t long after their self-titled début that they signed on the dotted line with established connoisseurs Black Doomba Records, which has been their home label ever since. Now, the time has come for a new record to showcase the best of what they have to offer. Dead Star embodies the band’s name: DayGlo vibrant colors adorn the packaging which envelops the Mourning-laden riffs. The trio are not ones to waste a listener’s time, and go straight to what they do best - an homage to the fuzziest, most classic doom metal they can muster. The drums are on fire; Ray Miner may not be breaking any speed barriers, but he crashes and pounds out a fierce rhythm such as on opener “Dead Star”. Bassist Jerimy McNeil, meanwhile, gets a welcome centerstage slot on more than one occasion, leading the charge on “The Offering” and “Faithful Demise”. Naturally, the guitars are in the constant search for That Tone, and the one here is just the right level of amp-worshipping distortion, counterbalancing the beer-soaked yet melodic vocals of Joe Mills.

DayGlo Mourning didn’t get to this position by resting on their laurels, though, and Dead Star has a few tricks up its sleeve. One of these is the delightful blues-driven solos that litter the record, including a talk box solo on “The Offering”, while “Witch’s Ladder” shows just how low and heavy they go, while featuring intonations of curses to drag the listener into the depths of the occult. On a similar vibe, “Faithful Demise” feels strangely playful given its dark topics of death and religion, while the church-like choirs on “Ashwhore” are suitably sacrilegious. In short, while the début was a strong opening statement, Dead Star is a necessary next step for DayGlo Mourning. Bound to delight fans of doom metal of all stripes, it’s a must-have record that stands proud among the growing accolades of a band who rep their city’s metal scene so strongly.

Dead Star by DayGlo Mourning